Elder Ronald Rasband dedicated the Ephraim Utah Temple on Sunday, emphasizing the temple's role in "gathering Israel" in his dedicatory prayer. The temple becomes the 224th operating facility of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the 28th in Utah.

Ephraim, home to Snow College, is a town of about 7,000 in rural Sanpete County. Rasband spoke of the area's pioneer heritage and called the temple site sacred ground. The dedication was broadcast to meetinghouses across central Utah.

The temple serves members in communities that previously traveled to Manti, about 12 miles south, or to Provo for temple ordinances.